Daniel Zeese

Daniel Zeese’s work investigates what it means to be within civilization while on the edge of the wilderness. Outnumbered, on the fringe of what is accepted in the city, celebrated from a distance, and threatened to exile by time and the powers of the majority. Daniel reacts to the continuing history of violence within cities and a trickle down of toxic masculinity against the people who, while developing a cultural identity, become misunderstood, attacked, and objectified. Later we experience the outcome, the resulting martyrdom, through the master cultural narrative.

Zeese’s new body of work considers empathy in communication through iterating maquettes—proposed scenarios for brief gatherings, interactions, and conversations. The type of interchange one has on a bench is temporary, and one is forced to see through someone else’s eyes rather than look into them. Zeese’s “Benches” act as memorials to past and future interactions, and as a tribute to our attempts to alter our perceptions to be closer to whoever may be sitting next to us.

Daniel Zeese is an artist, designer, and educator currently living in Johnson, Vermont. His latest work explores intuition, memory, belonging, and identity. Daniel received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, Sculpture, from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2010 and a Masters in Architecture from Boston Architectural College in 2015. Zeese has worked internationally directing the design of major installations in the public realm for the art studio of Janet Echelman from 2012 to 2019. Zeese has participated in residencies internationally and is currently in a yearlong Staff Artist at the Vermont Studio Center.

Fountain Street Exhibitions: Where the Worlds Meet, Read Between the Lines, Breaking the Rules